The High Court also directed Google and Meta to remove infringing works from their platforms.
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The Delhi High Court has restrained several entities from reproducing works of ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada, saying while no copyright can be claimed for scriptures, their adaptations that are “transformation works” are entitled to protection from piracy.
Justice Prathiba M. Singh also directed Google and Meta, which owns Instagram, to take down the infringing works from their platforms while ordering suspension and blocking of the offending links by the authorities.
The order dated September 21 came on a plea by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, established by the spiritual leader.
The trust complained that several entities including websites and mobile applications aremaking available a large number of copyright works almost in verbatim on their online platforms without its consent.
Srila Prabhupada, the founder of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), has translated several Hindu classic scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita.
The court said the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered ancient scriptures in the world and “no copyright can be claimed in the scriptures”.
However, “any adaptations of the said work including providing explanation, summary, meaning, exegesis/interpretation or creating any audio visual works” would be entitled to copyright protection for being “transformative works”.
The court said though there can be no objection in the actual reproduction of the text of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita or other spiritual books, the manner in which they are interpreted by different gurus and spiritual teachers “copyright would vest in respect of the original parts of the literary works which preach, teach or explain the scripture.”